


Into the Sea

by ami_ven



Category: The Little Mermaid (1989)
Genre: Community: writerverse, Established Relationship, F/M, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-15
Updated: 2020-03-15
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:00:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23152894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ami_ven/pseuds/ami_ven
Summary: “Just breathe normally, swim with even strokes, and try to listen to the ocean around you.”
Relationships: Ariel/Eric (Disney)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 48





	Into the Sea

**Author's Note:**

> Written for LJ community "writerverse" prompt "into the sea"

“It will all be very easy,” said Ariel, soothingly. “Just breathe normally, swim with even strokes, and try to listen to the ocean around you.”

Eric smiled. “I’ll try. I _am_ excited to see where you grew up, but I’m also nervous about seeing your father.”

He stood on the beach, bare toes wriggling restlessly into the sand, wearing a loose white shirt that hung almost to his knees. One-year-old Melody sat at the edge of the waves at their feet, diaper happily abandoned, splashing in the water with tiny hands. Ariel stood beside him, entirely naked except for the gold necklace at her throat.

The return of her human legs had been an engagement present from her father, but by the time of the wedding ceremony, King Triton had created a much more impressive gift. Made of the same magic-conducting metal as his trident, it allowed Ariel to change between legs and fins whenever she liked – and to take others with her. She had gone to Atlantica by herself several times, to visit her father and sisters, but this was the first time her entire family would be going.

Ariel folded the dress she had been wearing into the waterproof chest they kept on the beach for just that reason, retrieving a shell-and-seaweed top that was much better suited to being underwater. She turned, arching an eyebrow at her husband. “Getting shy on me?” she asked.

Eric snorted and peeled off his shirt, adding it to the chest and sealing it. “I’m ready.”

She kissed him, a reward for good behavior, and scooped Melody into her arms. They waded into the ocean, and the toddler kicked excitedly at the water with stubby legs.

“Yes, darling, you can be first,” Ariel laughed.

She touched her necklace – there was a swirl of magic around Melody, then she was giggling, splashing a deep red tail through the water.

“You next, my love,” said Ariel.

Eric closed his eyes. He felt a tingle, like the bubbles of champagne, all over his body, then slid farther into the water as his feet were no longer there to support him. He flailed and his tail braced him against the sandy ocean floor.

“Royal blue, of course,” said Ariel’s voice, and he opened his eyes again.

He had a tail. It was a bright royal blue, paler at the fins, and it felt as though he’d always had it. Eric swished it through the water slowly and Melody reached out for him, giggling again.

“We’ll have to watch out for her more underwater,” said Ariel. “Merbabies learn to swim long before human children can walk.”

“How about we try me first?” Eric asked.

His wife laughed and took his hand. She transformed herself between breaths and led them deeper into the ocean.

Eric felt the water close over his head. He let out a breath and watched the bubbles float upwards, then drew in a new breath – and spluttered to the surface.

“You can breathe underwater,” said Ariel, surfacing beside him.

“I know that,” he said. “But I don’t think I quite _know_ that.”

She smiled. “I think I can help with that.”

Still holding Melody with one arm, Ariel slid the other behind her husband’s neck, drawing him in for a long deep kiss. He barely registered the water closing over them, this time, and he wrapped his own arms around her waist. When he needed to breathe again, she only let him far enough to draw in a lungful of sea water. Before he could panic, she kissed him again, repeating the process until he was breathing normally.

“That,” said Eric, “was a very good idea.”

Ariel grinned.

THE END

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [[Podfic] Into the Sea by ami_ven](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24150988) by [poppyseedpods (poppyseedheart)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/poppyseedheart/pseuds/poppyseedpods)




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